victim?”
“Not until the family has been notified,” Hank said. He paused and then added, “I don’t have anything else for you. There’ll be an official statement later when we know more.”
Lisa swung the mike toward King and opened her mouth to speak. King shrugged and walked away. Lisa frowned and turned back to Hank, the frown replaced with a fresh smile. “Thank you, Hank,” she said and turned to Don. She dragged a finger across her throat and the red light went out.
Hank’s jaw dropped as Lisa and Don walked away. She was usually more persistent and much more obnoxious than this. Was she losing her edge? Hank hoped so, but he doubted it.
He figured she’d be snooping around again as soon as she thought up a new angle.
Hank closed the doors of the Toyota and leaned against the hood. As soon as the tow truck got here, he could leave, and he was determined do all he could to get to the bottom of this whole mess.
Chapter 11
Tuesday, 1:12 p.m.
ANNIE DROPPED HER book on the stand beside her easy chair and went to answer the ringing doorbell. She was surprised to see Hank standing on the porch, a somber look on his face.
A sad smile touched the detective’s lips. “Can I come in? I need to talk to you.”
“Of course,” Annie said. She waved him into the foyer and led him to the living room, settling back into her chair as Hank dropped onto the couch.
He observed her, tapping his fingers nervously against his leg, his uneasy eyes on hers. Then he breathed a short sigh and cleared his throat. “Have you talked to Jake recently?”
Annie narrowed her eyes. “He called me two or three hours ago and explained the situation. It’s a little unusual, but I haven’t heard from him since.” She paused and her frown deepened. “Is something the matter?”
Hank raised his eyes and stared blankly at something behind her as if gathering his thoughts. When he looked back at her, his deep brown eyes seemed to penetrate her soul.
“As you know, Annie, we’ve been friends a long time,” he said. “The three of us. And that’s why this pains me so much.” He paused again, his eyes never wavering, then spoke slowly. “There’s overwhelming evidence Jake was involved in a shooting.”
Annie tilted her head to one side. “A shooting?”
Hank nodded. “It appears he had an appointment to meet a woman, and he was bringing some money to her that might be connected to the bank robbery.”
“Impossible,” Annie said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Hank shrugged. “There’s more. The woman was shot, and we aren’t sure if she’ll survive. There seems to be no doubt Jake fired the weapon. A neighbor claimed to have heard two shots, the last one immediately before Jake ran from the house with a pistol in his hand.”
Annie sat back. “How can you possibly assume it was him who fired the gun?”
“Jake had gunshot residue on his clothes. And of course, his prints were on the gun.”
“That’s not enough,” Annie said, her frown of disbelief deepening.
Hank’s voice quivered when he spoke. “The woman, Mrs. Overstone, said it was Jake who shot her.”
Annie stared at Hank, unsure what to say. This was preposterous. Jake would never shoot an innocent person.
“Did you talk to Jake about all this?” she asked.
Hank nodded. “I talked to him briefly before we did any further investigation. Before all the evidence against him came to light.”
“And?”
A look of pain appeared in Hank’s eyes. “Jake lied to me, Annie.” He cleared his throat again. “He claimed he was staking out the house and took photos of someone entering the premises.” Hank shook his head. “He never took any photos.”
Annie looked around as if half-expecting Jake to appear and tell them what had really gone on. “Where’s Jake now?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
Annie gave Hank a blank stare.
“He ran. He was in the car, and we came out to, uh … talk to
“Not until the family has been notified,” Hank said. He paused and then added, “I don’t have anything else for you. There’ll be an official statement later when we know more.”
Lisa swung the mike toward King and opened her mouth to speak. King shrugged and walked away. Lisa frowned and turned back to Hank, the frown replaced with a fresh smile. “Thank you, Hank,” she said and turned to Don. She dragged a finger across her throat and the red light went out.
Hank’s jaw dropped as Lisa and Don walked away. She was usually more persistent and much more obnoxious than this. Was she losing her edge? Hank hoped so, but he doubted it.
He figured she’d be snooping around again as soon as she thought up a new angle.
Hank closed the doors of the Toyota and leaned against the hood. As soon as the tow truck got here, he could leave, and he was determined do all he could to get to the bottom of this whole mess.
Chapter 11
Tuesday, 1:12 p.m.
ANNIE DROPPED HER book on the stand beside her easy chair and went to answer the ringing doorbell. She was surprised to see Hank standing on the porch, a somber look on his face.
A sad smile touched the detective’s lips. “Can I come in? I need to talk to you.”
“Of course,” Annie said. She waved him into the foyer and led him to the living room, settling back into her chair as Hank dropped onto the couch.
He observed her, tapping his fingers nervously against his leg, his uneasy eyes on hers. Then he breathed a short sigh and cleared his throat. “Have you talked to Jake recently?”
Annie narrowed her eyes. “He called me two or three hours ago and explained the situation. It’s a little unusual, but I haven’t heard from him since.” She paused and her frown deepened. “Is something the matter?”
Hank raised his eyes and stared blankly at something behind her as if gathering his thoughts. When he looked back at her, his deep brown eyes seemed to penetrate her soul.
“As you know, Annie, we’ve been friends a long time,” he said. “The three of us. And that’s why this pains me so much.” He paused again, his eyes never wavering, then spoke slowly. “There’s overwhelming evidence Jake was involved in a shooting.”
Annie tilted her head to one side. “A shooting?”
Hank nodded. “It appears he had an appointment to meet a woman, and he was bringing some money to her that might be connected to the bank robbery.”
“Impossible,” Annie said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Hank shrugged. “There’s more. The woman was shot, and we aren’t sure if she’ll survive. There seems to be no doubt Jake fired the weapon. A neighbor claimed to have heard two shots, the last one immediately before Jake ran from the house with a pistol in his hand.”
Annie sat back. “How can you possibly assume it was him who fired the gun?”
“Jake had gunshot residue on his clothes. And of course, his prints were on the gun.”
“That’s not enough,” Annie said, her frown of disbelief deepening.
Hank’s voice quivered when he spoke. “The woman, Mrs. Overstone, said it was Jake who shot her.”
Annie stared at Hank, unsure what to say. This was preposterous. Jake would never shoot an innocent person.
“Did you talk to Jake about all this?” she asked.
Hank nodded. “I talked to him briefly before we did any further investigation. Before all the evidence against him came to light.”
“And?”
A look of pain appeared in Hank’s eyes. “Jake lied to me, Annie.” He cleared his throat again. “He claimed he was staking out the house and took photos of someone entering the premises.” Hank shook his head. “He never took any photos.”
Annie looked around as if half-expecting Jake to appear and tell them what had really gone on. “Where’s Jake now?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
Annie gave Hank a blank stare.
“He ran. He was in the car, and we came out to, uh … talk to
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